Why Australia Should Help to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s next pledge is on September 16 in Montreal. How much will Australia contribute?

“There’s never been a better time to be an Australian.” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s statement got a decent run last year and for good reason too. Australia sits near the top end in terms of the key international measures of prosperity and our general way of life.

Australia is now being presented with the opportunity to contribute to ending the world’s worst epidemic in our lifetime by investing in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) in 2017-19. With the Global Fund’s next pledging conference being held in Montreal on 16 September, the Turnbull Government finds itself in a unique and perhaps challenging position.

Twenty-six international health and development organisations are calling on the Government to pledge A$300 million towards this goal, meaning the world will be given its first real indication of how Australia’s leaders will govern moving forward. Will we claim regional leadership by honouring our rightful contribution? Or will the Turnbull led Government demonstrate our unfortunate growing tendency to look inward at a time when unity and global cooperation is needed most?